“Craft In America: Visionaries” To Feature LongHouse Reserve’s Jack Lenor Larsen

Jack Lenor Larsen, LongHouse Reserve Founder and Artistic Director, will be featured in the premiere of PBS’ Craft in America: Visionaries on Friday, December 21 at 10 p.m.

Lenor Larsen, a textile designer, fiber artist, collector, and author, studied architecture, furniture design, and weaving while at Cranbrook Academy of Art, earning his MFA in 1951. A year later, he founded the Larsen Design Studio, and went on to establish Jack Lenor Larsen Inc. (fabrics), Larsen Carpet and Leather, and Larsen Furniture. Known for the “Larsen Look” – hand-woven natural yarn arranged in random sequences – the highly accomplished Lenor Larsen is one of only four Americans to ever be celebrated with an exhibition in the Palais du Louvre.

In addition to designing fabrics for abodes, public locales, corporate offices, and even airplanes, his work is also showcased in the Museum of Modern Art (NY), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY), Philadelphia Museum of Art (PA), the Art Institute of Chicago (IL), the Cooper-Hewitt Museum (NY), and the Fashion Institute of Technology (NY).

The traditional and contemporary crafts champion founded LongHouse, a spectacular 16 acre sculpture garden, “as a case study to exemplify a creative approach to contemporary life.”

“The LongHouse preview showing to fifty people on Long Island was a great success because of fine photography,” Jack Lenor Larsen reflected. “Though I have participated in films since 1951, this is best in many ways.”

Craft in America: Visionaries explores how artists and influencers have an impact upon new generations and spark their creativity. The episode will also feature curator Helen Molesworth, weaver Kay Sekimachi, collector Forrest L. Merrill, and book artist Felicia Rice.

For more information, visit www.pbs.org.